Steam table heating surface adapter apparatus

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for converting an existing array of steam table wells into a single heating and/or cooking surface. The apparatus offers flexibility to dining establishments having any variety of single-well or multiple-well steam tables arranged. The apparatus includes one or more adapter frames adapted to fit within existing steam wells, and an overlying heating surface. The frame includes a peripherally arranged riser wall to allow the frame to rest within a steam well in such a manner that the frame&#39;s riser wall projects above a top surface of the steam well on which the overlying heating surface may rest. Preferably, the adapter frame interacts with both the existing steam well and the overlying heating surface such that seals are formed to increase the efficiency of transferring heat from the steam table to be to the overlying heating surface. A gasketing material may be included to facilitate such sealing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to the field of heating andcooking apparatus, and, more particularly, to an apparatus forconverting a plurality of individual steam wells into a single surfaceof heating and/or cooking food.

2. Related Art

Many eating establishments utilize conventional “steam tables” forheating and serving food. Generally, these steam tables include one ormore individual openings or “wells” capable of fitting, holding, andheating a single food pan, commonly 12 inches by 20 inches. The steamtable heats the food pan by way of heating up a reservoir of waterlocated within the table below the well openings. Often this type offood display can be found in a buffet-style restaurant or is supplied bycatering services, wherein a variety of food is accessible by thepatrons. Commonly, eating establishments use multiple steam tables, eachwith a single well or multiple wells, in order to provide a variety offoods. To present a number of food pans, as required when presenting avariety of food options in a buffet-style arrangement, typically anumber of steam tables, collectively comprising a number of wells, arearranged side-by-side. The steam wells in a multi-well table often areseparated by a flat surface in between. Accordingly, the side-by-sidearrangement of the wells creates a number of cold zones, defined as theflat surface space between the individual steam wells. While the foodpan placed in the steam well is heated by the steam/heat generated bythe steam table, no pan nor food may be placed in the cold zones. Thesecold zones result in an inefficient waste of space taken up by the steamtables, and thus, limit the total surface area available for theintended purpose of heating and/or cooking food. Further, if theindividual steam tables are made by different manufacturers, the coldzone area may be different between steam tables, which may exacerbatethe overall wasted space for which no use is provided.

Accordingly, a restaurant is limited to a number of food offeringscommensurate with the number of steam tables the restaurant is able tofit. As such, using a side-by-side steam table arrangement, the only wayfor a restaurant to increase the number of food offerings would be toadd a steam table to the array, thus requiring sufficient space to doso, which may not be available. Additionally, the restaurant is limitedto presenting the food in individual pans in a side-by-sidepresentation, which may not be aesthetically appealing.

Alternatively, a steam table may have multiple steam wells, which limitsa restaurant to using only the provided number of steam wells in orderto use the steam table efficiently. As discussed above, the cold zonesbetween each steam well result in an inefficient area of space.Additionally, versatility in the presentation of the food is limited tothe number of steam wells within the steam table, i.e., a side-by-sidearrangement. Accordingly, it is advantageous to optimize the entiresurface area of the steam table by having more surface area upon whichfood may be placed for heating and/or cooking, providing additionaloptions for the presentation of food.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to an apparatus for converting an existingsingle or multi-well steam table arrangement into a single heating andcooking surface that is larger than an individual steam table well.According to an embodiment of the present invention, a conversionapparatus includes one or more adapter frames and an overlying heatingsurface. According to one aspect of this embodiment of the presentinvention, an adapter frame is an open skeletal structure adapted to fitwithin an existing steam table well, typically rectangular. The adapterframe may comprise a plurality of frame members that assemble togetherto form a frame structure similar to the shape of the steam well. Forexample, for a rectangular steam well, the adapter frame may be in theshape of a skeletal rectangular cube. Alternatively, an adapter framemay be machined as a single monolithic structure instead of amultiple-member frame structure.

A top portion of the adapter frame includes a riser wall that projectsabove a top surface of the steam well. According to an aspect of thisembodiment, the riser wall may be of a sufficient thickness or shape toallow it to rest on a top surface area surrounding the steam well,allowing a lower portion of the adapter frame below the riser wall torest within the well in a manner similar to a steam table tray or pan.

According to another aspect of the present invention, when assembled, abottom surface of the riser wall forms a seal with the contacted topsurface area surrounding the steam well. The seal increases theefficiency of heat transfer from the steam table to an overlying heatingsurface by reducing and/or preventing any steam or vapor from escapingfrom the steam well. Optionally, a sealing material may be used alongthe bottom surface of the riser wall. Additionally, the skeletal designof the adapter frame assists in the passage of heat generated by thesteam table through the well opening to an overlying heating surface.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the adapterframe includes a riser wall with a horizontal lip or flange around theexterior of the adapter frame at a position below the top of the riserwall. The flange rests on a top surface area surrounding the steam welland allows the adapter frame to rest within the well in a manner similarto a steam table tray or pan. The riser wall projects vertically fromthe top surface of steam well and above the flange, and creates ahorizontal surface plane for an overlying heating surface to rest upon.Optionally, the flange may form a seal with the contacted top surfacearea surrounding the steam well in order to retain the heat generated bythe steam table and to increase the efficiency of transferring heat tothe heating surface by reducing the amount of steam or vapor that mightescape from the steam well.

According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, an adapterframe is structured as an open channel with one or more side walls. Whenplaced within a steam well, a portion of the side walls rise above thetop surface surrounding the steam well to create a riser wall for theheating surface to rest upon. The riser wall portion of the adapterframe may be of a larger shape or thickness greater than a thickness ofthe remaining portion of the adapter frame. The larger shape thicknessof the riser wall is sufficient to allow the adapter frame to restwithin the steam well while the riser wall remains above the top surfaceof the steam well. When in place, a bottom surface of the riser wallforms a seal with the contacted top surface area surrounding the steamwell. The seal increases the efficiency of heating of an overlyingheating surface by reducing and/or preventing any steam or vapor thatmight escape from the steam well. Optionally, a sealing material may beused along the bottom surface of the riser wall. The open channel of theadapter frame allows for the passage of heat from the steam well to anoverlying heating surface resting upon the riser wall of the adapterframe.

In yet another embodiment of the present invention, an adapter frame isstructured as an open channel with one or more side walls, an interiorledge and a lip. In this embodiment, the interior ledge projects inwardperpendicularly from a bottom perimeter of the adapter frame and the lipprojects perpendicularly from the edge of the interior ledge, into thesteam well. When the adapter frame is placed into the steam well, thelip rests within the steam well, and the interior ledge and bottomperimeter rest upon a top surface area surrounding the steam well. Theone or more side walls combine to form a continuous riser wall, whichprojects vertically above the top surface area surrounding the steamwell. A seal is created between the lip and bottom perimeter of theadapter frame and the contacted top surface area surrounding the steamwell in order to increase the efficiency of retaining the heat generatedby the steam table. Advantageously, a sealing material such as asilicone gasket or caulk may be placed between the lip and bottomperimeter of the adapter frame and the contacted top surface area of thesteam well to facilitate heating an overlying heating surface.Additionally, a sealing material may be placed along the top perimeterof the adapter frame in order to facilitate transferring heat from thesteal well to the overlying heating surface.

An overlying heating surface is then placed on the top surface of theriser wall of each adapter frame to provide a single, uniform surfacespanning one or more steam table wells, upon which food may be placedfor cooking and/or heating. The apparatus uses the heating source of theexisting steam table to heat the heating surface. Preferably, a topsurface of the riser wall and a bottom surface of the heating surfaceform a seal to increase the efficiency of heat transfer to the heatingsurface.

The overlying heating surface may be adapted to cover any number ofadapter frames. For example, if a restaurant has three steam tables in aside-by-side configuration, an adapter frame may be placed into eachsteam well and a heating surface large enough to cover all three adapterframes may be used, providing a single heating and/or cooking surfacefor food. Each individual steam well heats up an overhead portion of theheating surface. Preferably, the heating surface is machined from amaterial that is highly conductive, such as, for example, aluminum.Thus, the heat from the steam is transferred through the cold zones ofthe individual steam wells and a uniform, evenly-heated food surface isprovided. Advantageously, the restaurant may either place food directlyonto the heating surface, or may place one or more containers of foodonto the heating surface in order to heat or maintain the heat of thecontainer(s).

Accordingly, the apparatus of the present invention provides theflexibility of converting one or more steam table wells or tables into alarge cooking or heating surface that allows for a variety of fooddisplays beyond the limiting conventional arrangement of side-by-sidepans placed in individual steam wells. Additionally, because theapparatus may be designed to fit a plurality of steam wells regardlessof the spacing between individual steam wells, the invention isindependent of different manufacturers and provides greater flexibilityand options to a food establishment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be more readily understood from the detaileddescription of the preferred embodiment(s) presented below considered inconjunction with the attached drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of individual components includedin a three-adapter frame and heating surface apparatus according to anembodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 2A and 2B present an elevational view and a side perspective view,respectively, of the three-adapter frame and heating surface apparatusof FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An adapter apparatus includes one or more adapter frames and anoverlying heating surface, sized to cover any number of the adapterframes. FIG. 1 presents an exploded perspective view of individualcomponents included in a three-adapter frame and heating surfaceapparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Theapparatus shown converts a steam table with three steam wells into asingle surface for heating and/or cooking food. In FIG. 1, adapterframes 102, 103, 104 are structured as rectangles and each includes fourside walls that combine to create a riser wall 114, a top perimeter 112of riser wall 114, a bottom perimeter 113 of riser wall 114, an interiorledge 107, which projects inward from the bottom perimeter 113, and alip 108, which projects vertically from the edge of the interior ledge107. When adapter frames 102, 103, 104 are in place, lip 113 restswithin the inside of steam well 109, 110, 111 of steam table 101, andboth interior ledge 107 and bottom perimeter 113 rest atop a surfacearea surrounding steam well 109, 110, 111. A seal is created between thetop surface area surrounding steam well 109, 110, 111 and bottomperimeter 113 and interior ledge 107. The seal increases the efficiencyof transferring heat to an overlying heating surface 106 by reducingand/or preventing an amount of steam or vapor from escaping from steamwell 109, 110, 111.

As shown in FIG. 1, riser wall 114 projects vertically above a topsurface of steam well table 101. Heating surface 106 is structured tocover the three adapter frames 102, 103, 104 and may be placed on topperimeter 112 of each adapter frame 102, 103, 104. A sealing material105 may be used to assist in creating a seal between heating surface 106and top perimeter 112 of each adapter frame 102, 103, 104, in order tofacilitate heating overlying heating surface 106.

In FIG. 1, heating surface 106 is a flat pan or griddle with a flangedperimeter 115. The size of heating surface may be such that flangedperimeter 115 extends beyond the total outer perimeter of the combinednumber of adapter frames 102, 103, 104. Flanged perimeter 115 assists inplacing and removing heating surface 106 without necessarily coming intocontact with adapter frames 102, 103, 104 and also helps to prevent foodand food juices from falling off the edge of heating surface 106.Heating surface 106 provides a heated surface for food to be arranged ina number of ways while being maintained at a constant temperature.Heating surface 106 also provides a heated surface for cooking food.

Heating surface 106 may be attached to adapter frame 102, 103, 104according to any well known joining or fastening mechanism orcomposition in the art, or heating surface 106 may rest on top perimeter112 of adapter frame 102, 103, 104, held in place by the weight ofheating surface 106. Optionally, it is appreciated that adapter frame102, 103, 104 and heating surface 106 may be machined as a singlemonolithic piece.

Preferably, heating surface 106 is machined from a material thatconducts heat well, such as aluminum and other materials known to oneskilled in the art, including, non-metallic materials that can withstandthe temperatures generated by steam tables. According to anotherembodiment of the present invention, heating surface 106 may be dividedinto separated areas of any desirable shape or size with channelsdefining boundaries for each area. The channels can serve to separatedifferent foods, and/or capture grease, juice, and other food liquidsthat may drain while food is being heated and/or cooked. In yet anotherembodiment of the present invention, heating surface 106 may be a grillsurface capable of grilling food placed thereon.

FIGS. 2A and 2B present an elevational view and a side perspective view,respectively, of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, according to anembodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2A, adapter frames 102, 103and 104 rest within individual steam wells 109, 110 and 111 of steamtable 101, as shown by the dotted lines. Covering adapter frames 102,103 and 104 is heating surface 106, which creates a single food surface.In FIG. 2B, riser wall 114 projects vertically above the top surfacearea of steam table 101. Sealing material 105 is placed on top perimeter112 of each adapter frame 102, 103 and 104, and creates a seal withheating surface 106 in order to increase the efficiency of transferringheat to the heating surface 106 by reducing and/or preventing an amountof steam or vapor generated in steam table 101 from escaping.

As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, flanged perimeter 115 of heating surface106 may extend beyond the combined outer perimeters of the underlyingadapter frames 102, 103 and 104, which facilitates creating a sealbetween the heating surface 106 and adapter frames 102, 103, and 104 inorder to increase the efficiency of transferring heat to heating surface106. Additionally, the flanged perimeter 115 of heating surface 106provides for ease of placing and removing heating surface 106 to andfrom the upper surface of adapter frames 102, 103, 104, and may preventfood liquids from running off of the edge of heating surface 106.

As will be appreciated, there are countless configurations for anapparatus that converts one or more steam wells into a single foodheating and/or cooking surface. The figures illustrate only a fewpossible configurations, and in no way should be construed as limitingthe application of the inventive apparatus to those configurations. Tothe contrary, the invention is intended to cover various modificationsand equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of theappended claims. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded thebroadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications andequivalent structures and functions.

1. An apparatus for adapting one or more individual steam table wellsinto a single heated surface for placing food, the apparatus comprising:at least one adapter frame, wherein a first portion of the at least oneadapter frame rests within an individual steam table well and a secondportion comprises a riser wall, wherein the riser wall projects above atop surface surrounding each steam table well, and a heating surface,wherein the heating surface overlies the at least one adapter frame. 2.The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the riser wall is adapted so that aportion of the riser wall rests on the top surface surrounding theindividual steam table well to support the at least one adapter framewhen placed within the steam table well.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2,further comprising a sealing material wherein the sealing material isdisposed between the riser wall and the top surface surrounding theindividual steam table well.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein thesealing material is silicone.
 5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein thesealing material is a gasket.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein theriser wall further is adapted so that a portion of the riser wallcomprises a ledge that extends inward perpendicularly from the riserwall, wherein the ledge rests on the top surface surrounding theindividual steam table well to support the at least one adapter framewhen placed within the steam table well.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6,wherein the riser wall further comprises a lip that extendsperpendicularly from the ledge such that the lip extends into the steamtable well.
 8. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a sealingmaterial wherein the sealing material is disposed between the ledge andthe top surface surrounding the individual steam table well.
 9. Theapparatus of claim 8, wherein the sealing material is silicone.
 10. Theapparatus of claim 8, wherein the sealing material is a gasket.
 11. Theapparatus of claim 1, further comprising a sealing material wherein thesealing material is disposed about a top perimeter of the riser wall toform a seal between the riser wall and heating surface.
 12. Theapparatus of claim 11, wherein the sealing material is silicone.
 13. Theapparatus of claim 11, wherein the sealing material is a gasket.
 14. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one adapter frame is adaptedso that a portion of the at least one adapter frame further comprises ahorizontal flange running peripherally around an exterior of the atleast one adapter frame and positioned below a top perimeter of theriser wall, wherein the horizontal flange rests on the top surfacesurrounding the individual steam table well to support the at least oneadapter frame when placed within the steam table well.
 15. The apparatusof claim 14, further comprising a sealing material wherein sealingmaterial is disposed between the horizontal flange and the top surfacesurrounding the individual steam well.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15,wherein the sealing material is silicone.
 17. The apparatus of claim 15,wherein the sealing material is a gasket.
 18. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the heating surface is made of a material that conducts heat.19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heating surface is comprisedsubstantially of aluminum.
 20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein theheating surface further comprises areas separated by channels.
 21. Theapparatus of claim 21, wherein the channels divert the flow of grease,juice, and other food liquids that may drain while food is placed on theheating surface.
 22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heatingsurface further comprises a flanged perimeter.
 23. The apparatus ofclaim 22, wherein the flanged perimeter extends beyond a perimeter ofthe riser wall.